The College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines Baguio-Benguet condemns this case of violations of women’s rights, ironically perpetrated by elements of the military who are supposed to uphold these rights. It is no secret that the Cordillera region is widely open for military occupation which is permitted by the Aquino administration under the guise of civil activities and community outreach. However, we know that this does not square with the actual events. The pervading presence of the military usually leads to cases of harassments, surveillance and other violations of human rights of the community members. This rape case is only a recent evidence of the filthy effect of rampant militarization of the communities in the region.

As the Aquino administration is further conniving with its American master, with the expected deployment of more US troops in some parts of the country, we must remain vigilant and critical. While both governments keep saying that these actions would serve the interests of both countries, we must always question at whose disposal these interests will be achieved. What our past experiences have shown is that the presence of the military in places where they ought not to be, like the communities, has only imperiled or harmed the civilians.